Essential Business Communication Skills
1. Listening
Essential business communication skills begin with your ability to improve your listening skills. Genuine listening with keen interest will build trust because when others feel understood it makes them feel special, important and that you genuinely care about them. Those feelings equate to having them feel they can trust you. There is no greater need for human beings than to feel heard and understood. Enhancing your ability to listen also eliminates misunderstandings, improves productivity, reduces redos, increases the likelihood that the results will be what you want, all leading to happier relationships and more fun. And who doesn’t want that?
2. Social media Followers
You should focus on adding followers who are actually interested in your offerings, using targeted keywords. This limits the amount of people that will be added at any one time.
3. Paying Attention
This means not thinking about your next meeting or what you need to do. It means totally being present to the conversation without your mind distracting you in a million different directions. And don’t respond to emails while you are on the phone with someone! Studies show that people overestimate their ability to multi-task. Don’t half participate in the conversation. If the timing isn’t good for you to have a conversation when you have too many things going on, try to reschedule it.
4. Presenting to a Group
Audiences tend to be sympathetic. They respect anyone who does get up in front of an audience. So if someone “messes up” a word or a slide and has to correct themselves, this actually could be a plus. The audience roots for the underdog, sees you as a human, not as some smooth talking speaker, and actually may identify with you more and actually listen more closely. There is such a thing as being too “slick”. A good speaker has to maintain that “Aw Shucks” attitude too.
5. Understanding Assumptions
Sometimes misunderstandings arise when the person we are speaking with is operating from their own set of unspoken assumptions. Understanding what those assumptions are can go a long way toward smoother relationships. Be curious and gently ask some open-ended questions to discover what they might be assuming.
6. Twitter – Give and Take
Are you consistently “tweeting?” Twitter doesn’t appreciate users who aggressively follow others, yet don’t add anything to the community. Make sure you are active, and posting valuable content.
